A community group is worried that one of the main road arteries into Leeds faces gridlock - and that endemic traffic problems will threaten to make their lives untenable.

Aireborough Civic Society has called a public meeting after concerns that the A65 - which runs through Menston, Guiseley, Yeadon, Rawdon and Horsforth - was becoming choked with traffic.

The society also said they were concerned about traffic problems on the nearby A658 Bradford to Pool-in-Wharfedale road.

Clive Woods, of the society, said the high number of residential developments built around the A65 corridor had seen hundreds of homes constructed in the past 10 years which hadn't been supported with improvements to the area's infrastructure.

Now he's invited both Leeds and Bradford councils, local councillors and public transport co-ordinators Metro to a meeting on Tuesday, March 23, at Trinity Church, Rawdon (7.30pm) for crunch talks with the community.

Overall policy needed

"We need an overall policy for the whole area as traffic congestion just keeps building in the area," said Woods.

"We need the two councils to work together to produce a plan which will start to look at the traffic problems choking the area and also encourage public transport development in the area."

Woods said he was open to suggestions, but bus lanes, traffic light improvements and tackling high bus fares for short journeys were issues that could be raised at the meeting. Some junctions were apparently already at more than 90 per cent of capacity and couldn't take much more, particularly at peak times and weekends.

"We're not particularly well served by buses - First Bus seems to have a one-cap-fits-all fare pricing policy where it's virtually the same price to travel right into Leeds as it is to go to the local shops," he added. "The result is people drive to the shops instead of taking the bus.

Impact on bus reliability

"The traffic congestion caused by extra cars then impacts on bus reliability. If passenger numbers drop, services get axed. It's a downward spiral.

"Once we get the little things like traffic light timings and bus reliability improved, then we can start to look at proper road improvements."

Plans for a couple of major residential developments in the area have recently been submitted - one near Horsforth roundabout and the other at Springhead Mills in Guiseley - that could further add to traffic problems in the area, Woods warned.

The public meeting will be chaired by MP Paul Truswell and has also been organised by the Apperley Lane Residents' Association.

What do you think is the answer to alleviate traffic problems on the A65? Post a comment below and join the discussion!